So now is the time just to learn how to relax to the max,
Which is what we call meditation.
So when we're meditating,
Ah,
You run around a lot,
I run around a lot,
We've got a retreat over at Jhana Grove with sixty people from Singapore and some from here and from Sri Lanka,
Running a monastery,
Giving talks,
Going to house blessings,
Giving talks,
They gave a talk at Human Rights and Curtin University on Tuesday,
Doing so much.
And the only way you can cope is to learn how to stop.
Because when you stop,
Then all the places you've been to disappear and all the things you have to do next vanish and then you can be at peace in the present moment and there you have all the freedom in the whole world,
Just being here.
That's the only place you can rest.
So it's not as if I don't know how to do lots and lots of things,
But I know how to stop and rest.
So for this evening,
I'm going to have a speed camera on your mind and I'm going to give you a ticket if you think too fast.
Slow down.
Okay,
So close your eyes first of all.
And with your eyes closed,
It's like you shut off from the world outside and you have yourself to deal with now,
Just you and no one else.
It's me again,
I say,
How you been?
And I realize my body is a bit tired.
So put some attention on your body first of all.
Relaxing your legs first of all.
Can you be aware of any sensations in your legs right now?
See if you can will them to relax.
The key is to be kind to them,
To take away any tightness,
Any tension,
Release all this pulling and pushing.
If there's any contracted feelings in the legs,
Expand them.
Until your whole legs feel so relaxed,
As if they've been on one of these leg massage chairs.
Any tension in the legs is released.
What you're doing,
You're developing mindfulness to begin with,
This awareness focused on something specific,
Hear the feelings in your legs.
And you're also developing this compassion,
This kindness,
Which relaxes things.
So your whole legs start to get tingly,
Just like when you first wake up in the morning,
And your whole body is nice and cozy and warm,
And at ease,
No tension in it at all.
Enter your torso with all these muscles and organs and bones.
See if you can relax your whole torso.
And if there's any irritating,
Tense feelings inside,
Be aware of them,
Know them first,
And then send them kindness.
For example,
If you've got like a sore tummy,
Or you've got sort of an irritable bowel,
Be aware of the sensation,
That's called mindfulness,
And learn to relax those feelings.
The mindfulness will change,
It will give you feedback,
And that feedback will show you whether you're going in the direction of relaxation or not.
And you will soon learn how to relax even the inner parts of your own body.
Aware,
Kind,
Relaxed.
You feel even the body become at ease.
Tightnesses,
Pains and aches,
They get more comfortable as you relax your own body.
Even let your shoulders droop,
Don't hold anything tight.
You're being kind of relaxing your whole body,
And even your arms now.
Be aware of any sensations in the arms,
And the hands and the fingers.
And see if you can get your arms,
Hands,
Fingers more relaxed than they are now.
Move them,
Adjust them,
And be aware of the sensations in your arms and hands.
Notice them change to become more comfortable.
That means you're relaxing.
If things become more tight,
That means you're tensing up.
The feedback will show you the correct direction to go in.
And you may go up to your head,
Neck and head,
Sometimes it's pains,
Aches,
Headaches,
Nose aches,
Cough aches.
Just notice the sensations in your head,
And see if you can relax them.
See if you've got your visible hand soothing your throat,
Or your nose,
Or your head.
Opening,
Easing,
Relaxing.
You can notice the whole head starts to become more comfortable.
You're relaxing your head.
The muscles around the eyes and the nose,
And the mouth,
Sorry,
Very often these are squunched up tight.
Please relax the muscles around your eyes,
And as for your mouth,
Please turn up the corners,
So there's a little smile.
You deserve it.
And then just go a couple of inches behind your eyes.
That's where your brain is.
Can you notice any sensations located in that area?
And then relax that feeling.
Sometimes that head in the area of the brain feels heavy.
Give it kindness,
Until you feel this sense of comfort and relaxation,
Even in that space between your ears.
You've been thinking too much,
Working too hard.
Now give your brain some comfort and ease.
Now relax to all your body,
Stage by stage.
You've also been aware and kind.
Now do that to your mind.
As you've relaxed your body,
It feels peaceful and pleasurable.
Now relax your mind.
Take away the pressure from the past,
And the fear and anxiety of the future with all its demands.
Relax in this present moment.
Whatever happens now,
Relax with it,
With the sound of the kid,
With the sound of my voice.
Don't tense up against anything,
But open out.
It's like a sponge which has been squashed.
Take the pressure off from the sponge,
It expands and gets soft and fluffy like your mind.
Expanding,
Relaxing,
Soothing.
So in this moment,
You notice the sensation of relaxing,
Of ease,
Of comfort in your own mental world.
You have no demands,
Not trying to get anywhere,
No baggage you're carrying from the past.
Just free to be,
Free to be now.
Notice the sensation of happiness,
The specific pleasure of relaxation,
Of ease,
Of comfort.
The stress released body and the stress free mind.
You deserve to stop right here and be free to be.
And just linger there for a while,
While I'm quiet.
You have no demands,
Not trying to get anywhere,
Not trying to get anywhere.
You deserve to stop right here and be free to be.
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No past,
No future,
How do you feel in this very moment?
Sometimes the thinking takes over.
So in order to find the space between the thinking,
See if you can notice the space,
The gap between my words,
In the spaces between my words,
The silence.
You know without giving things a name.
Just notice how delightful is a mind which knows without talking,
Without giving things a name.
The wax there.
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Those of you who want to anchor the mind to the feeling of the breath,
Just to ensure the mind doesn't wander away,
Ask yourself,
Am I breathing in?
Or am I breathing out?
And know the feeling of the breath and allow that special sensation which shows the breath is going in or finished going in which shows the breath is starting going out or whatever stage of either in or out breath you are in and just allow the mind to settle on that feeling so that's all you have is there any task you have just to be suddenly with the breath happening now?
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